Italian 4 Motorized Division Livorno
Encyclopedia
The 4 Mountain Infantry Division Livorno was an Infantry
Division
of the Italian Army
during World War II
. The Division was formed in October 1939, and was reformed in March 1942, for the planned Invasion of Malta
. When the invasion was canceled it was transferred to Sicily
in February 1943, and was planned to be shipped to North Africa
but that order was cancelled.
The division was still in Sicily during the Allied landings
and suffered heavy losses.
Mountain Divisions are not to be confused with the "Alpini" specialized mountain troops. The Mountain divisions had pack horse artillery instead of the usual towed type.
, but guns from the destroyer Shubrick and the cruiser Boise destroyed several Fiat 3000
tanks (a variant of the French Renault tank).
These attacks were reported by an American newspaper:
"Supported by no less than forty-five tanks, a considerable force of infantry of the Livorno Division attacked the American troops around Gela. The American division beat them back with severe casualties. This was the heaviest response to the Allied advance." The Livorno regrouped made a further attempt to retake Gela two days later and the 3rd Battalion, 34 Livorno Regiment, is recorded by its Commanding Officer as having made a valiant effort in the Gela Beachhead. The survivors were withdrawn to mainland Italy in August 1943. It surrendered to the German forces in September 1943.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
of the Italian Army
Royal Italian Army (1940–1946)
This article is about the Italian Royal Army which participated in World War II.The Italian Royal Army was reformed in 1861 and lasted until 1946. The Royal Army started with the unification of Italy and the formation of the Kingdom of Italy . It ended with the dissolution of the monarchy...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Division was formed in October 1939, and was reformed in March 1942, for the planned Invasion of Malta
Operation Herkules
Operation Herkules was the German code-name given to a planned but never-executed Italo-German invasion of Malta during World War II...
. When the invasion was canceled it was transferred to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
in February 1943, and was planned to be shipped to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
but that order was cancelled.
The division was still in Sicily during the Allied landings
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and suffered heavy losses.
Mountain Divisions are not to be confused with the "Alpini" specialized mountain troops. The Mountain divisions had pack horse artillery instead of the usual towed type.
Sicily
The Livorno Division was the only Italian mobile division in Sicily and was considered by the Germans and most Italians to be far superior to the other divisions. As they had originally been intended for the assault on Malta. It consisted of high quality troops and it had sufficient transport to move all of its infantry units simultaneously. They carried out a substantial counter attack and threatened to throw the invaders back into the sea. On 10 July Livorno infantry supported by the 155th Bersaglieri Motorcycle Company and a column of tanks poured onto Highways 115 and 117 and nearly retook the city of GelaGela
Gela is a town and comune in the province of Caltanissetta in the south of Sicily, Italy. The city is at about 84 kilometers distance from the city of Caltanissetta, on the Mediterranean Sea. The city has a larger population than the provincial capital, and ranks second in land area.Gela is an...
, but guns from the destroyer Shubrick and the cruiser Boise destroyed several Fiat 3000
Fiat 3000
The Fiat 3000, whose design was based on that of the French Renault FT-17, was the first tank to be produced in series in Italy. It was to be the standard tank of the emerging Italian armored units in World War I.-History:...
tanks (a variant of the French Renault tank).
These attacks were reported by an American newspaper:
"Supported by no less than forty-five tanks, a considerable force of infantry of the Livorno Division attacked the American troops around Gela. The American division beat them back with severe casualties. This was the heaviest response to the Allied advance." The Livorno regrouped made a further attempt to retake Gela two days later and the 3rd Battalion, 34 Livorno Regiment, is recorded by its Commanding Officer as having made a valiant effort in the Gela Beachhead. The survivors were withdrawn to mainland Italy in August 1943. It surrendered to the German forces in September 1943.
Order of battle
- 33. LivornoLivornoLivorno , traditionally Leghorn , is a port city on the Tyrrhenian Sea on the western edge of Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of approximately 160,000 residents in 2009.- History :...
Infantry Regiment - 34. Livorno Infantry Regiment
- 28. Monviso Artillery Regiment
- 4. Motor Tricycle Group
- 4. Mortar Battalion
- 4. Anti-Tank Battalion
- 4. Engineer Battalion
- 4. Signals Company
- 4. Training and Radio Company
- 7. Chemical Company
- 20. Pioneer Company
- 11. Engineer Battalion
- 12. Medical Section
- 13. Surgical Unit
- 68. Medical Section
- 20. Field Hospital
- 22. Field Hospital
- 63. Field Hospital
- 122. Field Hospital
- 8. Supply Section
- 4. Motor Transport Section
- 56. Bakery Squadron
- 10. CarabinieriCarabinieriThe Carabinieri is the national gendarmerie of Italy, policing both military and civilian populations, and is a branch of the armed forces.-Early history:...
Section - 11. Carabinieri Section
External links
- In 1947, Lt. Col. Dante Ugo Leonardi, formerly commander of the 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment of the Livorno Division, published a little book entitled "Luglio 1943 in Sicilia" (July 1943 in Sicily). The account can be read here http://www.comandosupremo.com/Flesh.html